Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-02-10
IN Weekly Intelligsncer
Gte Ca,,caster Jntelliaeruer.
LAHcAsrRh FEBRUARY 10, 1857.
The Coast Defenses


Y elGupriAtion committee, and the men who
- clamoring for coast defenses without
fNUard TO kind or cost are bitterly bewail.
- what they claim to he the loss of all
Snance for money for defenses at this ses.
0lna. Mr.. Randall surely realizes that
DGo y reason in the demand for forts and
runs, but be also sees that there is danger of
Esquandering millions on defenses that the
EUpA progress Of military science may rem
- obsolete in . few years.
Oy al means let us have forts and guns
md ships and plenty Of them, but at the
lns time let US take great care that every
SDllor spent for defense shall 60 where it
N0l DO the most good.
The men who now clamor the loutlest for
- things are the very men who should
ear The blame for permitting our defenses
- nh 70 Tar behind the age that our coast
3gnow at the mercy Of almost any navy.
Iho Republican leaders in Congress seem
~ think that the twenty.one million ap-
espriation for army and navy guns and
Rk 1ortifcations is. their especial plume,
pd that they can get great deal of credit
B With the country by claiming all the glory
i it. Considering that the bills passed the
eenate without opposition, there is not
ss10y substantial foundation for this claim !;
~ M. Reed, Of Maine, hastens, upon the
Noment Of their introduction into the
donse, to ask their immediate con-
Il adEation, without the usual reference
- the appropriation committee, and thinks
& - he did very smart thing in drawing
!S1t the resistance of the Democratic lead
- 70 any such hasty performance.
NJ. Reed, We think, is mistaken. The
Z unity Wiz hardly be ready to applaud his
uttSn 70 Inappropriate twenty-one millions
kd0llazS, without the scrutiny which the
M eemmittees of Congress are supposed to
- i've TO oil the measures presented for its
4 artion.
81 However public opinion may demand
Rrge apprcpriations to put the country
into state Of proper defense, it does not
nand hasty, headlong and unconsidered
Sagialatton on this OF any other matter.
uenty-one millisns are good many dol.
ion To be SIRE We have good many
wing Idle In the treasury. 1t is safe to say
- there would not be many il there was
sz Republican Congress and administration.
1he ability Of Republican administrations
$Seo pend money has been we'll shown. The
Hoople put them out because OF their
q neility in this regard. The Democratic ad.
anistration has accumulated large sur.
JlnA Tho Republicans want to spend it,
ocaalse they have an itch for spending and
taxing. They do not want the tariff
npodts taken off, and TO save them they
Aove to show that the country needs the
loney.
The proposed appropriation of twenty.
millions is doubtless judicious. 1t is
'stntended to foster the creation of works in
ahb country for the manufacture OF heavy
edinance and ship plates, which can
eely be created to supply the government
Wtth guns and armOr, because there are
80 private customers here for such wAr
nlp materials. 1t is intended to place our
: Aeoast In condition to resist invasion.
; IN y obvious that We are now greatly
sA4e mercy OF even second and third rate
2ouen that have formidable war ships.
~ there IL no prospect of our going to
- No need, as General Moltke told the
russian legislators, to be ready for war
We may avoid it. 1t is great temp
K lon 70 other nations to see our ports de.
1las against their ships; and they may
be animated to undue sauciness by
4 - condition ofthings.
70 one will deny that the country should
put In state In which its shores NAV
oily DO defended. Few will question
y y wise that it should provide with.
b. tnelf the means of manufacture Of the
l. ~ naterial 1t may need. The determi-
- 70 buy within its own borders its
n ANA plates is very wise and it fol-
that 1t must pay what bounty is
oqoed to encourage this home manufac.